Internship Experience @ PSP Legal, New Delhi: Work on Environmental Law, Divorce Matters, Company Law

March 21, 2016

Name

Anonymous

Duration of Internship

4th January 2016-31st January 2016

The ecstasy of short term reply

I remember the day I applied. I got the acceptance email the same day in the evening. I was thrilled since I applied around mid-December, only half a month before the internship period requested for. I wanted to work with a fairly new firm so as to get more work and ground level experience.

PSP Legal was some two years old and seemed like a place where I could gain a good amount of practical experience. I applied after reading an internship experience article on Lawctopus.

I applied on the following emails – aditya.parolia[at]psplegal.org and piyush.singh[at]psplegal.org

Both Mr. Aditya Parolia and Mr. Piyush Singh are partners of the firm. My acceptance email was sent by Mr. Aditya Parolia.

Location and Accommodation in Delhi

I’m from Delhi. I’ve completed my graduation from here and continued with law. For me accommodation wasn’t a problem since I already live in a PG in an area called Greater Kailash-1 in Delhi.

For the people coming from places outside there are a lot of accommodation options available in south Delhi. Keeping in mind the location of the firm areas like Greater Kailash-1, Kailash Colony and Amar Colony offer a number of paying guest accommodation ranging from 10,000 to 20,000.

You can live in any of these places depending on budget since all these are close to the firm location. Due to colleges like LSR, Kamla Nehru and Gargi being close by, most of these PGs are for women.

The firm is located in Panchsheel Enclave in its C Block. If you’re living in any of the aforementioned areas then traveling shouldn’t be an issue. One can take an auto or a cab at reasonable rates.

The Beginning

“I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near.” —Margaret Thatcher.

When I reached the office on the first day I was taken aback to some extent as I expected it to be more visible.

The board outside was small and it took me sometime to get my eyes on it. It was a house. I took the stairs to the basement and rang the bell placed outside. The office is in one of the partners’ house.

I reported to Mr. Parolia. Since I’d reached early I was told to report at 10/10.30am everyday and leave by 6 pm. He asked me to place my things in the meeting room, which was this small room with computers and used for interns to work.

I was assigned a laptop, to be used for the period of the internship.

On the very first day I was given some research work to do on Environment Law. I wasn’t very experienced and didn’t do an in depth research but my boss was nice enough to sit me down and explain how exactly I was supposed to research and what exactly on.

On being given another chance he was happy with my work and I kept getting more and more work each day.

As it proceeds

I remember getting an excess amount of work. My reason for interning was not to merely get another addition for my resume but to seriously get a firsthand experience.

There was never a scarcity of work and at times I even had to wake up early in the mornings to finish the leftover. At times I left office at 7 pm just so that no work was left pending.

I could ask this boy working at the office to get me coffee or tea anytime in the day, I usually took green tea. Once he figured my habit I didn’t have to ask for it again and again.

I did research work, drafting and attended various hearings in the High Court and the NGT.

Their main aim was for me to experience all I could in that one month. I only had to show them my diligence and hard work in the beginning for them to give me work by themselves and for me to not have to ask.

I worked in all areas, including environmental law, divorce matters, company law, contract, consumer disputes, agriculture subsidies, application for FIRs etc.

It made me feel extremely useful and realise how work pressure can get and how best to manage it.

Extra shots of Experience

Over and above the regular work that interns are provided in any firm, any extra is also treasured. For me choosing this place proved to be one of the bet decisions I’ve made since I was made to accompany my bosses in Client Briefings. It wasn’t a compulsory task but was it option I could avail.

I went for two client briefings. The experience was quite extraordinary. Seeing the lawyers deal with the clients and how they address their problems is a good learning experience.

I even attended a case preparation meeting with other lawyers a day before the hearing in the Supreme Court.

I also got an opportunity to go for a mutual divorce mediation. Sitting with clients while they resolve their issues among themselves through a mediator was another good experience.

This took place in the Supreme Court. There was periods during the mediation when we were asked to sit out but it was worth the experience.

My boss even asked me general knowledge knowledge questions once in a while, even while returning from the court. This made me realise how in this field you need to keep all your senses working.

One can’t be focusing only on arguments or only on facts, there needs to be an awareness of the surroundings. you need to have things on your fingertips.

The Presentation

I was asked in the last week to work on a presentation on the “Establishment of Startups” and the legalities involved. Initially I wasn’t sure how exactly to go about it. When I started working it engaged me enough to keep working more and more.

By the end of my research I was so well versed in the Companies Act and Partnership that I learned even more than I had in college. I was very please with my presentation once completed and so was my boss. I got appreciated for the same.

I was asked to present it to my bosses but since they knew how exhausted I was after completed it they were nice enough to allow me to present it some other day.

After the completion of the first, I was asked to make another presentation on this extensive research I’d done in my beginning days. Though on asking, I got some more drafting work alongside the presentation work.

A sum-up

Overall it was an excellent experience. I couldn’t have asked for any more work and experience in that short a period. My work was appreciated and that accelerated my endeavor to work more and better.

Having completed my internship I can say I stand in a position to be able to work in other firms with confidence and take up all sorts of tasks. I’ve become more eager to work and my interest in the field has enhanced to a good extent.

I recommend this place to anyone who is looking for experience and is willing to put in hard work and sincerity required. You will never find yourself sitting idle.

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This entry has been submitted for the LexisNexis-Lawctopus Internship Experience Writing Competition 2015-2016. iPleaders is the learning partner for this competition.

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